[Campion]

In historical Church documents in Medieval times and before you will find that when referring to members of the church it almost always refers strictly to the hierarchy of the Church.

Examples?

In any case, that is not what the original citation claimed, which was that the official teaching of the Church at the time was that lay people were not members.

[Between the Lines]

In any case, that is not what the original citation claimed, which was that the official teaching of the Church at the time was that lay people were not members.

You are thinking with a modern mind. That the laity could be members of the church was a totally alien idea to the Medieval mind.

Unlike today the Medieval mindset was one of subjugation. Everyone was subjugate to someone, it was just matter of fact and accepted by all. Just as one who was subjugated to a king or nobleman was not part of the kingdom, but instead property of the kingdom, one who subjugated himself to the Church was not a member, but was instead subservient to the Church.

I do doubt that this was the "official teaching" of the Church being that it would not have to be taught, it just was. But again calling it an "official teaching" is just a modern mind trying to convey Medieval ideas with modern words.